The Bitter Woods; The Dramatic Story, Told at all Echelons--From Supreme Command to Squad Leader--Of the Crisis that Shook the Western Coalition: Hitler's Surprise Ardennes Offensive
Donald Pitcher (Maps) New York, N.Y. Ace Publishing Corporation, 1970. First Ace Publishing Corp. Printing [stated]. Mass market paperback. 638, [2] pages. Includes Acknowledgments, Illustrations, Foreword, Bibliography, and Index. Chapters cover The Road to the Ardennes; Preparations for the "Master Stroke"; Assault; Crisis; and Decimation of the Wehrmacht. Also contains Bibliography and Index, and 25 black and white maps, as well as 20 black and white illustrations of Allied Leaders and German Leaders. There are also 25 black and white maps of German Troop Dispositions. This book is an authoritative overall assessment of World War II, with special emphasis on the Ardennes offensive--the Battle of the Bulge. In a book rich in intriguing incidents and controversial opinions, John Eisenhower draws on his interviews with many of the leaders directly involved, his correspondence with prime participants on both sides, German generals who shared Hitler's intimate plans, and inside information on the turmoil and dissension that almost destroyed the Allied Alliance. John Sheldon Doud Eisenhower (August 3, 1922 – December 21, 2013) was a United States Army officer, diplomat, and military historian. He was a son of President Dwight D. Eisenhower and First Lady Mamie Eisenhower. His military career spanned from before, during, and after his father's presidency, and he left active duty in 1963 and then retired in 1974. From 1969 to 1971, Eisenhower served as United States Ambassador to Belgium during the administration of President Richard Nixon, who was previously his father's vice president and also his daughter-in-law's father. Derived from a Kirkus review: A study in command. Eisenhower focuses on Hitler's surprise Ardennes offensive--the Battle of the Bulge--for his examination of German and Allied command structures at all echelons. His portraits of the commanders, insights into the informality that characterized Allied decision-making in the field, and treatment of the officers as men rather than just military strategists make this an unusual analysis. What emerges is a clear description of how personal and professional style colored the conduct of the battle. Eisenhower relies heavily on memoirs and on his own sturdy knowledge of military strategy and staff procedures. This is a book written with objectivity and no hint that the author is related to that Eisenhower who is one of the book's chief characters. Particularly interesting are the portraits of Montgomery, Bradley, and Otto Skorzeny, Hasso von Manteuffel, and Heinrich Freiherr von Luttwitz. Condition: Good.
Keywords: Battle of the Bulge, Ardennes, St. Vith, Allied High Command, Bastogne, Otto Skorzeny, Hasso von Manteuffel, Heinrich Freiherr von Luttwitz, Operation North Wind, Ourthe River, Falaise, Schnee Eifel, Omar Bradley, Bernard Law Montgomery, Donald Pitch
[Book #82054]
Price: $30.00